Pedestal-extension-table lock.



PATENTED MAR. 10, 1903.

E. TYDEN. PEDESTAL EXTENSION TABLE LOOK.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 11, 1902.

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EMIL TYDEN, OF HASTINGS, MICHIGAN.

PEDESTAL-EXTENSION-TABLE LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 722,470, dated March 10, 1903.

Application filed June 11, 1902. Serial No. 111,111. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL TYDEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hastings, in the county of Barry, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pedestal Extension Table Locks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The purpose of this invention is to provide means for locking securely together the parts of a pedestal extension-table to prevent the sagging apart of the pedestal members, which is liable to occur at the lower end of the ped-i estal in the absence of any suitable means for preventing such result. 7

This application is made to cover specifically certain forms ofthe invention set out in my pending application, Serial No. 94,747, filed February 19, 1902, and therein covered generically, said application relating in its specific claims to different species or modification from that shown herein.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a partly-sectional side elevation of a pedestal extensiontable having my improved, locking device of the specific form to which this application relates. Fig. 2 is a detail section, axial with respect to the pedestal, showing the operating parts in a different position from that of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section atline 3 3 in Fig. 2.

1 l are the two members of the table-top.

2 2 are the pedestal members pertaining to said table-top members, respectively.

3 is one of the slides for extending the table according to familiar construction, 4 being a bridge for connecting the corresponding slides 3 and having a center leg 5 attached rigidly to it and carried by it.

Anaperture 6 is formed axially in the center leg,extending also up through the bridge 4.

A transaxial aperture 7 is formed through the leg, crossing the axial aperture at the lower end of the latter-that is to say, at considerable distance below the top of the pedestal-as shown about half way down its length.

A reciprocating rod 8 extends in the aperture 6, guide-bearings being provided for itin any convenient manner, as in the cap-plate 9, which is mounted on the top of the bridge, having a boss 10, which extends down into the aperture to afford such bearing. The hearing at the lower part of the rod is provided by, means of a bushing 10, which is forced into the axial aperture 6, said aperture being enlarged throughout its entire length from'the seat of the bushing 10 to the top to accommodate such bushing and also to accommodate the spring 11, coiled on a .shaft in said aperture and stopped, as hereinafter mentioned.

At the lower end of the shaft 8 there are connected to it by the same pivot two links 12 12, which trend downward and apart from their pivotal connection with the shaft, being stopped at that position by lugs 12", which project from the links respectively past the side of the shaft and stopped thereagainst, as seen inFigs. 2 and 3. 0n the inner face of each of the pedestal members oppositethe parting plane there is mounted abracket 13. These brackets extend toward the opposite pedestal members and are of such length that they lap past each other when the pedestal members are closed together, being sufficiently out of line to stand side by side at their lapping portions. Each bracket has a lug 14, which projects from its lower edge in position to extend under the other bracket when the two are thus lapped past each other in the closed position of the pedestal, and by this means they tend to support each other. The outer end of each bracket may be sloped, as seen at'15, to prevent the collision of the end of the bracket abruptly with the lug of the opposite bracket, and thereby to cause each bracket to slide or ride up onto the lug of the other. Each of the brackets has at the outer end an upturned hook 16, which forms a pivot-seat in'the angle which it makes with the upper edge of the bracket for the pivot-studs 17, which project laterally from the free ends of the links 12.

The transaxial aperture in the center leg is in proper position and of suitable extent in both dimensions to permit thebrackets 13 13 to pass through it when the pedestal members are closed together, and when they are as nearly together as they may stand when the two members of the tabletop come together the operator by depressing the shaft 8 causes the two links 12 12 to pass between the hooks 16, and the pivot-studs 17 strike the upper edges of the brackets, respectively, so that upon further depression of the shaft the links are spread apart at their lower ends, carrying the studs 17, the latter traveling along the upper edges of the brackets a distance neces sary to bring them into the pivot-seats or angles formed by the hooks 16. Further depression of the shaft 8 causes the hooks or pivot-seats of the brackets to be forced in opposite directions and the pedestal members to be drawn together, each bracket being forced toward the opposite member.

The proportions of the several parts are such that by the time the opposite members are fully closed up at the lower end the pivot of the links to the shaft is substantially in line with or slightly above the line connecting the centers of the pivot studs or bosses 17, and as it is forced down to and past that line the elastic compression and extension of the several parts concerned in the action operates to prevent the return of the shaft past said center line and, on the contrary, tends to throw it further beyond the line, and the pedestal members are thereby locked in the position to which they are thus drawn.

The brackets 13 are cut away at the upper side at the points necessary to permit the end of the shaft to pass below the point at which the three pivots are in line, as is necessary to reach the locked position described.

The spring 11, coiled about the shaft 8, is stopped at its upper end by collar 8, made fast in the shaft 8, and it therefore tends to react to uphold the shaft to position shown in Fig. 2 and to retract it from its depressed position whenever it is forced up far enough to release the lock formed by the links when they are engaged by the brackets and thrust down to locked position, above described, the spring not being strong enough to start the links from their locked position. For the purpose of operating the shaft vertically to lock or unlock the pedestal I provide a bracket 18, projecting upward from the cap-plate 9, and two links 19 19, pivoted together, one of them being pivoted to the upper end of the shaft 8 and the other pivoted to a stud 18, projecting from the upper part of the bracket. An operating-rod 20 is connected to the two links at their pivot. When the shaft Sis in the upper position, (shown in Fig. 2,) the links are folded, and their joint or pivot is thrust out toward the rod 20, as seen in full line in Fig. 2. By thrusting the rod 20 from the end of the table toward the center the links 19 are straightened, and thus operate to force downward the shaft 8, causing the engagement of the pivot-stud 17 with the hooked ends of the brackets, as above described and as seen in Fig; 1. The parts should be so proportioned that the pedestal members will be closed up a little before the pivot of the links 19 to each other reaches a line which connects the remote pivots of said links, so that a slight further movement which may force the pivot past that line will also force the pivot of the links 12 past the line which connects their studs 17 17, and thus not only will the pedestal parts be locked together by the relation of the links 12 12 to their pivot at the end of the shaft, but also if by any chance or inaccuracy that lock should be released--as, for example, if by the wear of the parts the resistance to unlocking should become less than the tension of the spring 11-still the members will not be unlocked, because the links 19 19 will also be in locked position, and any force operating to thrust the shaft 8 upward will be resisted by these links, which are stopped at their straight position by the stud 21, projecting from the face of the bracket to which the upper link is pivoted.

When the operator desires to release the lock and permit the table members to be separated, he may do it by retracting the operating-rod 20, causing it, by means hereinafter explained, to pull the pivot of the links 19 19 back first to and then past the straight line connecting their remote pivots and then enough farther to lift the pivot of the links 12 past the line connecting their remote pivotstuds 17 17, whereupon the spring 11 will fully react. to thrust the shaft 8 upward, folding both pairs of links to the position seen in Fig. 2.

In the extension of the table the member on which the rod 20 is mounted will necessarilybe moved away from the bridge which carries the locking device, and to permit such separation and at the same time adapt the rod both to push the pivot of the links in straightening them to locked position and also to pull that pivot back in order to unlock the device I furnish the rod 20 with a downwardly-turned finger 22, which encounters the pivot 19 connecting the links when the rod is thrust in to straighten the latter and effect the locking, and on the lower of the two links I provide a lug 23, having projecting laterally from it a stud 24, which is in position to permit the lower end of the finger 22 to pass over it in order to encounter the pivot 19 for the purpose of straightening the links. The action of the links in straightening causes the said lower link to swing about its pivot to the shaft 8 up toward the rod 20, causing the stud 24 to pass behind the end of the finger 22, so that when the links are in position shown in Fig. 1that is, in locked position-the pivot of the links to each other being just past the line connecting their extreme pivots, the finger 22 is between .the pivot-stud 19 and the stud 24, and'being retracted it will engage the latter and draw the links back, as is necessary to effect the unlocking, the spring 11 thereupon reacting, as above described, to throw the stud 24 down below the lower end of and out of the path of the finger 22. l

1. In a pedestal extension-table, in combination with an upper structure, consisting of ICC the separable members of the table and the extension devices which connect them; the pedestal parts pertaining to said separable members respectively; an element carried by the upper structure mounted so as to move up and down; a pair of links pivotally connected to said element adapted to engage the pedestal members respectively; means by which, when said element is at one limit of its upand-down movement, the links are held, trending obliquely away from the horizontal plane of their pivots and from the pedestal members which they are respectively to engage, toward the other limit of said movement; devices on the pedestal members for engagement by the links, respectively, located in the path of said links at the side toward which the latter thus trend obliquely, whereby they are in position to be encountered by the links in the movement toward the last-mentioned limit, said devices being adapted to guide the links laterally after such encounter, and means for forcing said element in said direction to carry the pivots of the links thereto past the line of their engagement with the pedestal members, respec-' tively, and means for arresting said movement after said line is past.

2. In a pedestal extension-table in combination with the separable members and the pedestal members pertaining thereto, an element mounted so as to be inclosed by the podestal and to reciprocate vertically, a pair of links pivoted to said element; brackets on the pedestal members, respectively, at a substantial distance below the table-top in position to be encountered by the free ends of the links, and to guide the same apart after such encounter, said brackets being lapped past each other, and having each an abutment in position to be engaged by the link whose movement after encountering the bracket is toward the opposite pedestal member from that in which the bracket is mounted, and means for depressing the reciprocating element.

3. In a pedestal extension-table, in combination with an upper structure, consisting of the separable members of the table and the extension devices which connect them; the pedestal parts pertaining to said separable members respectively; an element carried by the upper structure mounted so as to move up and down; a pair of links pivotally connected to said element adapted to engage the pedestal members respectively; means by which, when said element is at one limit of its upand-down movement, the links are held, trending obliquely away from the horizontal plane of their pivots and from the pedestal members which they are respectively to engage, toward the other limit of said movement;

devices on the pedestal members for engagement by the links, respectively, located in the path of said links at the side toward which the latter thus trend obliquely, whereby they are in position to be encountered by the links in the movement toward the last-mentioned limit; said devices being adapted to guide the links laterally after such encounter, and means for giving said element such up-anddown movement and for releasably securing it'at the last-mentioned limit of said movement.

4:. In a pedestal extension-table in combination with an upper structure comprising separable members of the table, and the extension devices which connect them, the pedestal-members pertaining to said separable members, respectively; an element carried by the upper structure and mounted so as to reciprocate vertically, a pair of links pivoted to said element; brackets on the pedestal members respectively, at a substantial distance below the table-top, in position to be encountered by the free ends of the links and to guide the same apart after such encounter; said brackets being lapped past each other and having an abutment in position to be engaged by the link Whose movement after encountering the bracket is toward the opposite pedestal member from that in which the bracket is mounted; a spring reacting on said reciprocating element to uphold it, and means for depressing said element against the resistance of said spring adapted to continue said depression until the pivot of said element to the links is carried past the line connecting the points of encounter or engagement of the links with the brackets respectively, and means for stopping said endwise movement after said line is past, the parts being proportioned so that the pedestal members are closed up when said pivot approaches said line, whereby the reaction of the parts from the compression and extension to which they are subjected in forcing the pivot past said line prevents the spring from retracting it past said line.

5. In a pedestal extension-table, in combination with an upper structure, comprising the separable members of the table and the extension devices which connect them, the pedestal members pertaining to said separable members, respectively; an element carried by said upper structure mounted so as to be moved up and down; a pair of links pivotally connected to said element adapted to engage the pedestal members respectively and atthe upper limit of said up-and-down movement, trending from their pivots obliquely downward and away from the pedestal members which they are respectively to engage, and means limiting their downward trend to prevent them from becoming vertical; devices mounted on the pedestal members, respectively, in position to be encountered by the links when said element is moved downward, and adapted to guide the links laterally after they are encountered; a spring tending to uphold said element and means for depressing it and for releasably securing it at depressed position.

6. In a pedestal extension-table, in combi- .nation with an upper structure, comprising the separable. members of the table and the extension devices which connect them, the pedestal members pertaining to said separable members, respectively; an element carried by said upper structure mounted so as to be moved up and down; a pair of links pivotally connected to said element adapted to engage the pedestal members, respectively, and at the upper limit of said up-anddown movement trending from their pivots obliquely downward and away from the podestal members which they are respectively to engage, and means limiting their downward trend to prevent them from becoming vertical; devices mounted on the pedestal members, respectively, in position to be encountered by the links when said element is moved downward, and adapted to guide the links laterally after they are encountered; a spring tending to uphold said element and means for depressing it adapted to continue said depression until the pivots of the links are carried past the horizontal plane at which they are engaged with the pedestal members, respectively; said means comprising a pivot carried by the extension devices, a pair of links connecting the upper end of said up and down moving element to said pivot, said links being free tolfold in one direction, a stop to arrest their folding in the opposite direction just beyond their straightened position, and means operating on the links to straighten them adapted for engagement therewith to retract them past their straightened position to their original folded position to uplift said element.

7. In a pedestal extension-table, in combination with the separable members, the extension-slides connecting them and the pedestal members pertaining to said separable members respectively; devices carried by the extension-slides for releasably connecting and disconnecting the pedestal members at a substantial distance below the table-top; means for operating said devices, comprising a vertically-movable rod connected thereto at its lower end; a pivot carried by the extensionslides; a pair of links connecting the upper end of the rod to such pivot, the links being free to fold in one direction and a stop to arrest their foldin gin the opposite direction just beyond their straightened position; means for folding and straightening the links, comprising a slide-bar on one member of the table adapted to operate on the links at their joint from the side toward which they fold to force them to straightened position; a shoulder on said bar and a tooth on one of the links in position to pass behind such shoulder as the link swings toward its pivot in the straightening action; whereby in the retraction of the bar the shoulder engages said tooth to retract the links to folded position.

8. In a pedestal extension-table, in combination with the separable members, the extension-slides connecting them and the pedestal members pertaining to said separable members respectively; devices carried by the extension-slid es for releasably connecting an d disconnecting the pedestal members at a substantial distance below the table-top; means for operating said devices comprising a vertically-movable rod; a spring yieldingly upholding the rod; a pivot carried by the extension-slides; a pair of links connecting the upper end of the rod to such pivot, the links being free to fold in one direction, and a stop to arrest their folding in the opposite direction just beyond their straightened position; means for folding the links and therebythrusting down the rod against the tension of the spring, said means comprising a slide-bar on one member of the table, adapted to operate the links at their joint by movement from the side toward which they fold, to force them to straightened position; a shoulder on said bar facing in the direction toward which the links fold to relax the spring; a projection on one of the links in position to pass behind such shoulder as the link swings toward its pivot in the straightening action; whereby in the retraction of the bar, the shoulder engages the tooth to retract the links past their straightened position to permit the spring to fold them.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two witnesses, this 12th day of May, 1902.

, EMIL TYDEN.

In presence of- FRED W. STEBBINS, KITTIE F. CLARKE. 

